​Hey Reader,​

Over the past few years, I’ve put some serious effort into striking from my vocabulary as much cringe-worth workplace jargon as possible.

Unfortunately, I am not only what is often referred to as a “management consultant” (cringe), but a change management and stakeholder communication consultant no less (the cringiest of cringes), so this has been a lot harder than it sounds.

One of the worst phrases that has sunk its slimy tentacles into my lexicon, and which I am ready to bid adieu for good, is the one that I’m going to talk about today: the business case.

Oh, the business case. The business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion. The business case for sustainability. The business case for supporting working parents and caregivers.

Over the years, the “the business case” has become shorthand for: Yes, we know that historically, you, the big guy in charge, have not cared about X issue, but actually, we have done research(!) that shows that X will continue to make you money(!!!) while also achieving some sort of good in the world(?). Interested?

It’s an uphill battle, and it’s not that I’m unwilling to fight anymore. It’s just that you won’t find me fighting on that hill.

Unfortunately, the business case is everywhere

Change management “best practices” stress that a key element of a change management strategy is a clearly stated case for change (the business case).

If the case for change is strong, well supported, and consistently communicated, the assumption is that the level of risk will be lower because those affected by the change will understand the need to make and commit to the required changes.

If the strength of the case is weak, that is meant to result in poor communication planning, low visibility, or minimal sponsorship support, causing higher risk levels because those affected will not “buy in” or accept the need to change.

Even the ACMP’s Standard for Change Management says that “successful communication of the Case for Change occurs when business rationale communications are sufficient enough that each type and level of stakeholder can clearly articulate what is changing, how the change benefits or affects the organization, and how the change affects him or her individually (often referred to as ‘What’s In It for Me’). If people see progress they can relate to, then they are more likely to continue the change effort and help to reach the future state and sustain the change.”

But…

What if the business rationale and individual rationales conflict?

If a key element of a change management strategy is a clearly stated case for change, but you also have to tailor messaging to different stakeholders, does that dilute the “strength” and cohesion of the business case?

Are the business case (at least the one you communicate) and the purpose of the change the same? If not, how do you reconcile that in your strategy and with your stakeholders?

When has people seeing progress they can relate to ever actually translated into people changing their behavior?

I can poke holes in the business case all day, but here are three big reasons why it’s BS to focus on the business case:

You can’t make the business case if you don’t know or agree on what the business is

That might sound bizarre, but you’d be surprised how few leaders can clearly articulate to themselves or others what the business goals are that a case should even support.

What is the purpose of this business? Why do we do the things we do? Are those two concepts connected? Very often, the answer is no. It can also be complex, and that’s fine – and even more of a reason to take the time to gain some clarity.

If business = profit (or revenue, or net assets), then making the business case = explaining why whatever you want to do is good for the bottom line. Say you want to try this other thing, something that does not simply increase profits and may even require resources that decrease profits.

Rather than jumping straight into crafting some elaborate case for how this new thing actually will increase profits now or in the future, etc. etc., go back to the purpose of the business. Is there flexibility? Is there appetite for experimentation or risk? Is there space for complexity of purpose, and how are decisions made within this complexity? If you can't answer questions like those, you can design a meaningful strategy (for anything).

Some good things are not better for business (if we are talking about short-term financial gain)

Sustainability is a perfect example of this. Activist and social entrepreneur Clover Hogan summed it up nicely in a recent post about a talk she gave at Chatham House’s Climate and Energy Summit.

She said, “It’s tempting to pitch leaders on why ‘going green’ is best for their bottom line. Yet within our current economic system, it often isn’t. And likely won’t be for some time. Capitalism is built on the commodification of nature and the exploitation of vulnerable communities. It concentrates the benefits (e.g. profit, wealth) in the hands of a few, while distributing the costs (e.g. pollution, job displacement, ill-health) to the many. It’s not set up to prioritise equity or ensure we live within planetary boundaries.

So instead of fixating on the ‘business case’, we need to focus on regulations that will tip the market in the right direction. Subsidies for sustainability, penalties for pollution.”

So if you’re talking about “business”…what does “business” mean to you?

Even leaders who outright say they make decisions based on seemingly clear goal of generating YOY profit and/or growth still make plenty of counterintuitive decisions based on their emotions, status quo bias, maintaining power, revenge, etc.

Open up your favorite news app, grab a coffee, and watch the circus unfold before your very eyes.

So forget about the business case and start here instead

1. State your idea – This could be an initiative to improve your customer experience, launching something new, developing employees somehow, implementing AI or some other new technology, etc. Hold off on defining what steps you need to take to make it a reality.
2. State the purpose and goals of your business – Generate profits to reinvest into the company and grow sustainably? Develop a nonprofit with enough revenue diversification that 100% of donations can fund mission-related expenses? Maintain a steep growth trajectory in order to sell the business in the next five years? This is less about what you do and more about why and how you do it.
3. Before you try to connect the idea to a goal, get curious – Is there a clear connection already? Why or why not? Have your purpose and goals shifted or become more complex? Do they conflict? Does your day-to-day still match the big picture? What made this idea arise in the first place? What was the intention of the idea?

When you design a strategy, whether it’s specifically for change or anything else, before jumping straight to crafting the business case or why you think something should happen, get curious about the landscape, the purpose, potential conflicts, and clear connections.

I’ve said it plenty of times and I’ll say it again: purpose helps a strategy design itself

And leaders: if doing all the things is keeping you from doing the thing, if your team struggles to align their day-to-day actions with the big picture, and if you’ve got to get from point A to point B and just can’t find the path, let’s set up time to talk. I help purpose-driven leaders design and communicate strategies that work so that they can lead their teams through times of change. And oh boy, are we in times of change right now.

Talk soon,

Caitlin Harper
​Founder, Commcoterie

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